Twinja Book Reviews Favorite's Month is back!

It's that time again!

Diversify Your SteamPunk Day 7: JRPG's, Deities and 20th Century SteamPunk with Max Gladstone

Today we had the pleasure with catching an interview with a very talented writer who we discovered on an online thread featuring amazing covers with People of Color. After we discovered he mixed fantasy, Deities and a lil' bit of SteamPunk in his series, we had to learn more! Mr.Gladstone with his many accomplishments and writings in the works, We're ecstatic that he had the found the time to sit down and chat with us! So without further adieu......

Diversify You SteamPunk Day 6: "Beyond Victoriana" with Diana Pho

Ay-Leen The Peacemaker is to Diana Pho, what Sasha Fierce is to Beyonce. Being one of the most prominent names in the online Steam-punk community, and off, it's a wonder Diana gets any sleep. 

Diana is the creator of "Beyond Victoriana" , a blog that promotes diversity in the science fiction sub genre "Steam-punk." If you're anything like me, you loved steam-punk growing up, but started to outgrow it once you realized no one looked like you on the pages.

Well fear not, because today we sit down with Diana, an innovator for what steam-punk will become. She shows steam-punk does not have to be a homogenous, narrow minded view of speculative fiction.

Diversify You SteamPunk Day 3:"Bolly-Punk" and Alternate India with Susan Kaye Quinn

I was introduced to you through a blog event named "Steampunk with Heart." What interested me most were, amongst a group of steampunk authors, were a few listed under multicultural. You guys know we melt for the multicultural sub genre-d books, so it had me thinking, "Why not start a steampunk theme on Twinja Book Reviews of our own?" Only I was interested in highlighting authors and personalities that promote diversity.

The creator of the event was none other than author Susan Kaye Quinn. She herself penned a book that was indeed multicultural. When I asked if she were interested in being apart of a multicultural themed steampunk month on our blog, she jumped on board! She even gave me her book to read! You can read her review here!

I was floored by it. So she definitely deserves this spotlight as far as Im concerned! So without further a do....

Diversify Your SteamPunk Day 2: Reinventing Shakespeare and SteamPunk with Lev AC Rosen

Sooooo Guinevere discovered this awesome author through an amazing guest post he wrote about queer characters in fiction, particularly in Steampunk(check it out here!). Since then, we've been trying to find the appropriate theme to feature him on our blog after we begged and begged and begged him to come on!(We really did beg *_*) 

Alas, we found the perfect month to have him as our guest!!!He talks about SteamPunk, Shakespeare and and last but not least stepping outside your experiences to create diverse characters! We'd love to welcome Lev AC Rosen on a first but hopefully not last visit!!!

1. I've learned a bit about you through your official web site, and guest blog posts I've seen from you on other blogs. Introducing yourself to people for the first time, what can we come to know about Lev AC Rosen?

Well, I'm an author, born and raised in NYC, and still living there.  My first novel, All Men of Genius, came out a few years ago, and I have a middle-grade book, called Woundabout, illustrated by my brother, due out in July 2015.  I also teach creative writing in the city.

2. I have to ask this to everyone, but why did you choose to write a steampunk novel? Were there influences that attracted you to the sub genre? Have you always been a steampunk fan?

Honestly, it would be video games.  Old school video games that I grew up with were really my introduction to the steampunk genre, although I didn't know the term then.  They just combined lots of things, like weird mechanics and magic in ways that I found really appealing.  When I got older, and heard the term, it was something I could think of as an umbrella to write under.  

3. Are there any other underlying themes in your novel "All Men of Genius?" 

Plenty, I hope.  The thing about themes is that I think readers tend to see all sorts of themes, and some are intentional on the authors part, but not all, and those themes I didn't think I was putting in are still valid.  That said, I think the big ones have to do with freedom vs society - in terms of gender, sexuality, class, race.  The Victorian Era had a lot of ideas as to what was "appropriate," but those ideas were constantly being toyed with and manipulated.  It was a constant struggle between various factions, and people were trying to figure out how much they could essentially get away with.  That's really interesting to me.

4. Your main character Violet, poses as her twin brother Ashton. Being a twin, that's extremely fun to do(obviously if they can't tell), but I can imagine in her shoes, it was to gain respect she may not otherwise receive. What prompted you to create her for your story, and why is her narrative important to your story?

Well, the book is influenced by two famous plays.  First, 12th Night, by Shakespeare, in which a young woman, shipwrecked on a foreign shore and thinking her twin brother dead, disguises herself as a man so she can get work.  But then a countess falls in love with her and her brother shows up and hilarity ensues, as they say.  So that idea is pretty much stolen from Shakespeare.  The other play is The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde.  That one is actually Victorian, so I got to use a lot of that influence to really create the Victorian comedy of manners I wanted.  Plus Wilde plays with a lot of ideas about identity, which are obviously really important in a story in which everyone has disguises.  This isn't to say it's a mash-up book, by the way.  98% of the words are totally my own.  I just combined ideas and stole names.  

5. People try to make sure characters of color are represented, but when it digs deeper into sub-cultures, many tend to get under-represented. Any advice to aspiring writers who have a hard time writing characters outside their own experience?

Research.  And not just with books.  You have to be willing to go ask people outside your experience what their experiences are like.  You have to collect people's histories in many ways, and then not steal directly, but use that as an inspiration point.  Ask questions.  Figure out what your characters life would be like.  You get to choose how they react, but it has to feel authentic and express an authentic experience.  And most importantly of all, remember that your characters are full fledged 100% human beings.  

6. In your guest post with "friend in my head" blog "The Story Siren", you mentioned queer characters getting a shorter end of the stick when it comes to diversity. I know there are queer characters in the book, but I'm curious to know if you considered making Violet queer as well?

I never did.  I knew front he start she'd be masquerading as a man, and I thought the idea of a lesbian masquerading as a man felt a little too obvious. Plus, then it wouldn't let me get in all the homoeroticism I wanted where she's dressed as a man and in love with a man.  I suppose I could have just made her a gay man, but the danger of discovery for that story would be very different (higher stakes, but much easier to hide).  And Violet as a lesbian wouldn't have made much sense in the overall plot I had planned.  

7. What are some SFF books you've read that you felt highlighted queer main characters in a positive light?

Brit Mandelo's excellent anthology Beyond Binary, pretty much anything by Malinda Lo, and some old school Mercedes Lackey are the ones that come most readily to mind.

8. Lastly, what can we all do to keep up to date with anything and everything Lev AC Rosen?

Well, I have a website, www.LevACRosen.com, thought it's currently undergoing a revamp so I haven't been blogging much.  I also have a twitter @ LevACRosen and a Facebook fanpage, - I try to keep them all relatively up to date.  And I also try to answer any questions over twitter.  Feel free to ask!

*photo by Barry Rosenthal*

Purchase links:

All Men of Genius on Amazon

All Men of Genius on Barnes And Noble

Dennis R.Upkins returns!My Steps to Worldbuliding and Character Creation, Guest Post by Denny Upkins

Our Favorite King of Geeks has returned for a very thought provoking Guest Post. One of the things my sister really like about this author is that he makes you see a different perspective on topics you wouldn't normally worry yourself about based on privilege. Before my sister and I started making ourselves aware of the lack of diversity in media, we're a little ashamed to admit we knew little about the challenges that are faced in the LGBTQ community. With Dennis's help, it's opened our eyes to the injustices of what it means to be LGBTQ and a Person of Color. So to the King who needs no Introduction....... 

Guest Post: My Steps to Worldbuliding and Character Creation by Dennis Upkins:

One of the questions I'm constantly asked (which admittedly I never get tired of answering) is what  my process in terms of world building and developing complex characters.

My approach to world-building and character development ultimately corresponds to my overall approach to storytelling. As a writer, I personally belong to the school of character = story. What truth do we discover along the character's journey? More than that, whether it's fiction, articles or blog posts, I generally have three mandates which I dub E-Cubed: Enlighten, entertain and empower.

Needless to say that E-Cubed has led to other techniques which has only enhanced my storytelling abilities over the years.

Blogoversary Celebration Day 6: Hangin' with Alysia A. from My Little Pocketbooks!+15.00 Amazon Giveaway & bonus 10.00 Amazon Giveaway!!!

My sister and I follow a large range of blog, so sometimes it's hard to remember every amazing blog we follow unless they review a book we were unsure about or they bring up an amazing discussion. This particular blogger is pretty much notorious for all the reading challenges she takes part in. I mean we're not kidding when we say this blogger reads A TON! But what's stellar is that the most recent challenge she's taking part in(she's also the host) is a diversity challenge. We'd like to introduce to you Alysia @My little Pocketbooks

Blogoversary Celebration Day 5: A Cruise with Katie from "Space Crip" + 15.00 Amazon Giftcard giveaway+Bonus 10.00 Amazon giftcard Giveaway!!!

Diversity blogs seem so hard to come by. Add in diversity blogs that cater to geeks of Sci-fi, Fantasy, Horror, Speculative Fiction and Action, and they're even harder to find. It's very disappointing that of all the blogs we've found highlighting disabled/differently abled characters are so few and far between. That's why this blog is so amazing. Space Crip analyzes and highlights disabled characters in the SFF world. And shouldn't there be more? I mean according to the Census Bureau Reports, nearly 1 in 5 Americans have a disability. And that just in the United States. It's about time we started seeing that represented more in our media. But until then, Space Crip is doing that and more!

Blogoversary Celebration Day 1: Interview with book blog, Fangs for the Fantasy +15.00 amazon gift card giveaway

We @ Twinja Book Reviews have been following the amazing blog, Fangs for the Fantasy for some time now.What makes this blog really unique is that they not only review books, movies and tv shows but they have necessary, powerful discussions about stereotypes, tropes and topics you may have not made yourself aware of until reading them on their Discussion, Analysis and Musings page. 

Their tagline- The latest in Urban Fantasy from a Social Justice Perspective. This is one of those diversity blogs that more people should know about!So we're happy to have the bloggers, who bring us these amazing reviews and discussions, on our blog today!

Yayyyyy!Our Blogoversary Celebration begins! First up, Fangs for the Fantasy+15.00 amazon giveaway!

Didn't we tell you we were going surprise you with some awesome blogs???

We "sat" with about a dozen great book blogs that we consider sister sites to us @ Twinja Book Reviews. Some talk more about LGBTQ and sexuality, others focus on POC in books and a few tackle a sub-culture that seems to be forgotten when we talk about diversity, people with disabilities.

Either way, they're all amazing blogs my sister and I are huge fans of and hope to show our support to these blogs in any way we can!

Diversity on The Shelf-Reading Challenge 2014

Soooooo My sister and I don't usually join reading challenges but this one really caught our eyes!!! Either one of us should have no problem getting achieving this goal!!!

I'm(Libertad) going to set a goal of the 4th shelf, which is a goal of 19-24 books. I'm dealing with a bunch of stuff this year, but I know I can definitely handle 24 books!!!! I'll be tracking my progress every month!!!I'm sure 

Here's what I've completed so far:

1.Edge of Truth by Natasha Hanova

2.Burning Emerald by Jaime Reed

Why don't you join in on this awesome reading challenge!!!

Welcome to the 1st year of the Diversity on the Shelf reading challenge. The aim of Diversity on the Shelf 2014 Challenge is add diversity to you bookshelf by reading books by authors of color and/or about a main character of color.

Challenge Details

1. Any book (by any author) with a main character that is a person of color qualifies for this reading challenge, as well as any book written by an author of color. The goal is to encourage readers have a more diverse reading experience and to support diversity in the publishing industry by reading and reviewing books by or about person of color.

2. The challenge will run from January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2014 (books read prior to 1/1/2014 do not count towards the challenge). You can join anytime before 12/1/2014. Sign up at My Little Pocketbooks

3. Books can be any format (print, ebook, audio).

4. Novellas, Short story collections, Poetry, Graphic novels/manga, Children Books, and all genres are allowed. 

5. Books can be of any publication date. 

6. You can choose your books as you go or create a list in advance. Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.

Join the Challenge

To join the challenge, grab the Diversity on the Shelf 2014 Challenge button and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. 

You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, LibraryThing, BookLikes, Libib, etc., just as long as you have a dedicated shelf for the Diversity on the Shelf 2014 Challenge and your profile is not private. The point of linking up is to have a place where people can see what you’re reading.

Pick a Level

Choose how many diversity centered books you would like to add to your “read” shelf in 2014:

1st Shelf: Read 1-6 books

2nd Shelf: Read 7 -12 books

3rd Shelf: Read 13 - 18 books

4th Shelf: Read 19 -24 books

5th Shelf: Read 25+ books

Once you pick a level you can go higher and read more books but you cannot go down a level.

If you'd like to participate in the Diversity on the Shelf 2014 Reading Challenge, please sign up, and if you have a blog please spread the word by grabbing the button and post about your participation.

If you need some ideas for what to read go to the original POC Reading Challenge blog.

There will be giveaways along the way, theme reads and a giveaway at the end for the participants who participate each month and completes the challenge.

Multiculturalism through social networking

Were not going to lie to you.

Three years ago, we despised social networking. Despite having a Twitter account, a Facebook account, a highly neglected Myspace account(does anyone even still use Myspace? => ) , for the most part, they were often unused. Created just to say we owned one. Overtime, we did get into Facebook. But to be honest, it's a bit like the "new" Myspace. It just tends to connect you with people you think you may know.

But Twitter? Tumblr? Pinterest? LinkedIn? There are so many, that at times it becomes difficult to keep track of the ones worth joining and the ones worth ignoring.

And then came Goodreads. Mind you, we didn't jump on Goodreads with it's start up. But it became our first online community that we became highly invested in.

Until Goodreads, we assumed diversity in books was just a myth. A desire that only WE wanted. Or, if we weren't the only ones, we were a small group. Not enough to band together to demand to see diverse images in the books were investing our money in.